This invention relates to a liquid storage and applicator apparatus and more particularly to a pump and liquid applicator apparatus for physically disadvantaged persons, but beneficial to all persons in showers, bathtubs and at the beach.
Many physically disadvantaged persons, such as elderly, arthritics, amputees, paralytic and bedridden persons, are unable to attend to their health and grooming needs. This situation arises because some important body areas are inaccessible or difficult for these individuals to reach. The health and beauty products involved typically include sun screens, soaps, shampoos, body lotions and medications. The usual methods of using the hands or gauze to apply these products fail because of the muscular and joint limitations of such persons. Another problem is that liquid health and beauty products are often stored at remote locations or are stored in containers that are difficult to open.
Consequently, many persons must rely on others, such as hospital attendants, nurses, friends and. family members, for satisfying health and grooming needs. When assistance is not immediately available, these needs are often unmet or such persons are burdened with long delays. In some cases, these persons must be confined in institutions, such as hospitals, nursing homes and homes for the elderly.
Quite frequently persons who are not physically challenged need to relieve or apply lotions and medications to certain xe2x80x9citchingxe2x80x9d pruritic areas of their bodies which are remote or difficult for them to reach. The upper and middle regions of the back are exemplary of such areas. Other areas present problems of access while scrubbing, for cleanliness, before or after swimming or during bathing. The inability to apply sunscreen lotions or oils to the entire back region may result in severe sunburn.
The present invention overcomes all of the foregoing deficiencies by providing a means for physically disadvantaged persons for applying the products to body areas which have been inaccessible or difficult to reach. A primary object of the invention is to permit the physically disadvantaged persons to use these products without assistance. The invention is particularly applicable to bedridden persons in private homes, nursing facilities and hospitals where a need exists for bedridden persons to clean themselves or apply medications to irritated, itching and infected body areas.
Another object is to eliminate the long delays of meeting health and grooming needs which often occur in institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. A further object is to reduce the amount of services to bedridden persons in hospitals and nursing homes. A further object is to provide an improved applicator apparatus which can be used by all persons in showers, bathtubs and at the beach.
The invention resides in its ability to store and efficiently apply liquid health and. beauty products to various regions of a person""s body. The invention generally comprises a combined reservoir and pump, an elongated handle, an applicator, and a means for connecting the applicator to the handle which permits the applicator to be rotated about three mutually perpendicular axes. The applicator may be any of a variety of devices, such as an open cell sponge, brush, or loofah.
In a first aspect of the invention, a liquid health or beauty product is dispersed through an open cell sponge by squeezing a flexible reservoir. In a second aspect of the invention, a liquid health or beauty product is dispersed through a series of small openings by squeezing the flexible reservoir.
The foregoing objects, features and benefits will be apparent by reference to the drawings and ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment which discloses the best mode contemplated in carrying out the invention. The exclusive rights which are claimed are set forth in the numbered claims following the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.
In employing the teaching of the, present invention, a plurality of alternate constructions can be adopted to achieve the desired results and capabilities. In this disclosure, only several embodiments are discussed. However, these embodiments are intended as examples and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.